This sweet yet dry beer is made with ingredients found in 2,700-year-old drinking vessels from the tomb of King Midas. Somewhere between wine and mead, Midas will please the chardonnay and beer drinker alike.

Reviews by JamesWn:

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This is not really a beer and I get a kick out of those who try to rate it as such and are not open minded. Its more of a mead wine champagne combo, if it warms and loses some carbonation, it gets a liquory feel. I like Midas Touch even though I only have it every couple months. Flavors are hard to describe as you won't taste them anywhere else, at least not with beer. Read others reviews for better flavor descriptions but at least give this a try. (452 characters)

A: The beer poured clear golden yellow in color and has a thin layer of bubbles floating on the surface from a medium amount of carbonation.S: There are distinct aromas of grapes, honey and saffron in the nose.T: The overall taste is relatively sweet and the flavors resemble those in the smell.M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and slightly syrupy, especially as it warms up.D: The alcohol is well hidden but the beer is definitely needs to be sipped given the amount of sweetness. (492 characters)

Smells of white grapes and malt with a small amount of saffron to follow. Tasting it the grape is the strongest with hints of honey and saffron. The malt does come through after a few sips. After a while I feel as I have been drinking white wine as well. The finish is crisp and has a aftertaste of grapes. I would buy again. (325 characters)

T- similar flavours, but more nuanced and more depth, oaky grapes and vanilla honey, lime citrus, honey and deeper floral tones, spice is upfront and blends with the honey. There really are a hundred things going on at once here, and that can be a bit overwhelming, but the underlying honey sweetness drives through a consistant feel to the finish, which is lingering with plum notes and some spice.

M- big body but the alcohol really only adds to the body as this is a really pleasant beer that blends the sweetness with some acidity, I think some of the overly sweet notes persist but overall the balance is. Pretty solid.

Very out there, seems almost a split personality in mixing a melange of strong flavoured ingredients and also creating a beer with a broad appeal. I did really enjoy the skill that went into crafting this, given that ingrediant list I doubt I could replicate something with this complexity and nuance, for that I will forgive some of the critiques and say this was a beer I was certainly glad to try. (1,330 characters)

Wow this is something different,pours a nice hazy copper/orange color with real nice sticky head that stays for quite awhile,a pretty sweet aroma of honey with a slightly tart tinge to it.Taste is pretty sweet to begin with a litle spiciness lingers.A pretty complex beer,very well made.Dogfish Head likes to try different things and for the most part are sucessfull. (367 characters)

Appearance  The body is a thick, hazy, deep orange in color. Theres no head to speak of, which is common among this brewerys heavy hitters.

Smell  This one had a big aroma indeed. The smell of rich, buttery, chardonnay kicks out right away followed by the honey and saffron promised on the label (I wouldnt call it muscat). Theres some dark spicing in here too such as white pepper and allspice.

Taste  The honey comes out more at the taste, but the biggest flavor is the malty white wine. This is a big brew, and the sharp alcohol notes warn the drinker to keep things slow.

Mouthfeel  Fairly flat and medium-bodied. The flavors are so sharp it kicks the saliva glands into high gear.

Drinkability  Plan on drinking this just as you would a bottle of white wine and youll be fine. Pour it in a tulip glass, dont let it warm, and drink it with fish or chicken or something light. (917 characters)

Startlingly brilliant amber brew with light lacing and tiny, tongue nibbling bubbles retains its cool orange haze for the duration. Head only exists on the periphery of the glass.

Smells of sweet citrus perfume and prickly ash. Cassis with a bit of ginger and allspice also enter into play making way for saffron, sour grape skin, and alcohol esters which become more predominant as the brew warms.

Alcohol is very noticeable in the taste and becomes more apparent as the temperature increases as I mentioned previously. Still, this is a surprisingly easy to drink beer. It would definitely make it on to my regular list if it werent so prohibitively expensive. To me, a beer of this price ought to carry a complexity to match, which is one area where this brew is lacking. Still, I do find it to have some interesting mead-like vinous and honey notes that I enjoy very much. The saffron and other spices make for a rather pleasurable drink as well.

Overall this is a very sweet little ditty but it just doesnt make the grade when price is factored into the equation. (1,082 characters)

Pours a golden yellow color, fairly cloudy and opaque with a small head that doesn't last for very long. In the initial aroma, I'm picking up some strange sweet notes and tartness, maybe cherries and peaches. Weird medicinal, chalky smell clouds it up a little bit. Taste is actually a bit different than the smell would lead on, hitting first with a bit of alcohol warmth, slightly on the rubbing alcohol side. Then some spices come into the mix; saffron, allspice, and maybe even chili powder? It's certainly not "spicy", but the background notes have a strange reminiscence of chili. Slight cheesy residue kind of taste on the back of the tongue, slightly off putting. Lots of yeast and wheat throughout, mixes well with the tart sweetness. Very mild bitterness, low on the hop presence. Aftertaste also includes a touch of honey (finally I can taste it) as well as some fruity esters and a dirt-like earthiness. Medium body, lots of carbonation to back this one up.

Strange brew here, for sure. I'm not exactly sure how to put my finger on it. It wasn't awful, but I would probably never have it again. Alcohol was present, but still didn't feel quite like a 9% beer. Overall pretty average. (1,196 characters)

A: body has a rich and luxurious deep gold/amber hue. very little head even with a vigorous pour but considering this is sort of an ambiguous beer, with a lot of vinous qualities, Im not really knockin it. body just glows.

S: sweet malt, grapes, vanilla, fruit all over the place, alcohol mixed with a winy aroma, and it pains me to say a touch of cheap grain sweetness you get on a mediocre pils or something

T/M: sugar and grapes ride a mouthfeel wave thats very creamy. velvety fruit coats the mouth. clean grain and a cool quality follow. theres something about this beer that makes me feel as if Ive just been swimming in some pristine and cold stream. finish dries slightly followed by an evolution of ripe green fruits and some candy. honey is obvious, though I cant say I know what saffron tastes like so not sure if Im detecting it or not. finish even has a slight yeasty/alcohol spice to it that balances the sugar nicely. all said and done the mouthfeel finishes a tad weak.

D: this is a very delicate beer and should be enjoyed on its own or paired carefully. very pricey but an excellent treat every now and then.

all in all an awesome brew. paired with a light plate of fruit and cheeses with success. (1,341 characters)

I had this beer for the first time years ago when the allure of drinking ancient brew let me smile smugly at my Coors-drinking friends. And when I had a bottle tonight, the recipe still has that mystique for me. Some may say it's the hype but I think it's because it truly is a different beer. For one, I can't decide if it's more like a barleywine or a mead. It pours like an elixer, but more silky, and with a deep gold color. Its taste reminds me of a mead, with a combination of fruity tones, but they are not sweet. At some points it feels like a wine, with a dry grape flavor. It's a complex beer that alters as you drink it, as the temperature changes, and as the alcohol settles in. It's a nice sipping beer, but I think it begs to be paired with something like a stinky cheese. (786 characters)

A- Pours a hued golden liquid with mild haze and floating sediment. Small but there head falls to a ring around glass and little froth, light lacing. Inviting.

S- Smell is quite fruity with notes of a floral nature possibly the grapes. Saffron on the nose mostly light hint of honey.

T-M- The flavor is strange with almost a sweet wild berry bite upfront followed by spicy barley backbone. Hints of alcohol are noted in the flavor just covered by the sweetness. Mouthfeel is mild to medium with a sticky presence on the tongue... tangy.

D- I couldn't drink a bunch but for a sharing occation with my brother I'd do it again. Different and unique beer worth a try now and again. (841 characters)

a very interesting brew. supposed to be the oldest known recipe for an alcoholic beverage which adds to the appeal. A dark get complex brew with hints of grapes honey and other unknown spices, also very strong in alcohol but with only a mild pleasant alcoholic bite. (266 characters)